


False Friends

by Artemis_Egeria



Series: Endgame Shmendgame [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dark Stephen Strange, Dark Tony Stark, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Not Avengers friendly, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Not Tony Stark Friendly, Working Out My Feelings Through Fic, i'm still bitter about Endgame, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-17 21:46:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21700252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_Egeria/pseuds/Artemis_Egeria
Summary: Sequel to New Friends. Wanda and Vision learn the unsavory truth about their supposed friends.
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Series: Endgame Shmendgame [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1344487
Comments: 48
Kudos: 27





	1. False Friends

**Author's Note:**

> It’s only feast or famine around here when it comes to inspiration, so here’s another fic. 
> 
> Endgame AU. Both Wanda and Stephen survived the Snap. This ended up going in a darker direction than I anticipated, but I’m still bitter and angry over Endgame so I let it take me there. I’m perfectly happy to blame the writers and directors rather than the characters for their decisions, but this is a more cynical interpretation.

When Wanda and the other remaining Avengers entered the compound, the air was musty. They all went their separate ways. Wanda traveled straight to Vision’s room. It looked as if he could have just stepped out of the room and would return any minute. Some books were neatly piled on a table in the corner. The same picture that he had chosen when they were both new to the Avengers hung on the wall. She simply sat and tried to absorb Vision’s essence.

A few days later, everyone was sitting down to breakfast when a glowing circle appeared in the air in front of them. A tall thin man strode through, supporting Tony Stark in his arms. Everyone jumped to their feet. Wanda automatically summoned her power, the red tendrils twirling around her fingers. The man glanced at her hands, but immediately moved his attention to Stark, helping him over to one of the couches. “You can all stand down. I am no threat to you. He needs medical attention immediately. Whom do you trust?”

“Helen Cho. She asked for a leave after everything happened.”

With a single nod, the man was off. They all stared at each other for a moment before Steve and Rhodey rushed into action. They set Stark up in a spare bedroom and surrounded him with blankets. Within half an hour the man appeared again with Helen Cho in tow.

Several hours later, she had managed to stabilize Stark’s condition. Steve decided it was finally time to demand answers from the stranger. He explained how they had ended up on Titan and met the self-proclaimed Guardians of the Galaxy. He went on to tell of the fight with Thanos and everyone disappearing.

Later that day, Wanda was alone in the kitchen when Strange approached her. “I was sorry to hear about Vision.”

Wanda nodded. “He spoke highly of you. He valued your companionship.”

Strange regarded her silently for a moment. “Vision did mention several times that he thought we would work well together if the Accords were ever resolved. I came to agree with him. With the world such as it is now, I would like to train you in the mystic arts. I believe you would have a natural aptitude for them.”

“I’ll get back to you.”

“Very well.”

_One Year Later_

Wanda sat in the conference room, tapping a pen against the table as she waited for the others. With a look from Stephen she stilled herself. Throughout his mentorship, he had urged patience. Wanda was trying. She struggled to pay attention throughout the entire agenda until Natasha asked, “Does anyone have any other business?”

Wanda raised her hand. Tony pinched his nose between his thumb and forefinger when Nat gestured her on. “I want to talk about Vision.”

“We’ve talked about him, Wanda.”

“Not in months. You expect me to just forget?” She glared at Tony. “I know we’ve been busy. I know the world is still falling apart all around us, but you promised.”

“We discussed the problem, and Bruce is still working out his Hulk situation. Besides, Pepper could pop at any moment.” Not that Wanda needed a reminder of Pepper’s impending due date, as Tony talked about little else. “I promise, once Bruce is better and Pepper is on her feet again, we’ll keep working on bringing him back.”

Wanda relaxed back in her chair. “That’s all I ask.”

_Two Years Later_

They reached the end of another meeting. It was Strange’s turn to lead. When he asked for any other business, the entire team groaned when Wanda raised her hand again.

Strange looked to Tony. “Do you have any progress on Vision to report?”

“No,” he said with an exasperated sigh. “I would tell you if anything had changed. This is not a simple problem to fix.” Said the man who bragged about mastering astrophysics overnight, thought Wanda bitterly.

“Can I at least see him?” Wanda was horrified at how her memories of Vision were losing their crispness. She just wanted to see him and hold him one more time if nothing else.

Tony pushed back his chair and leapt to his feet. “What good would it do? We’re doing everything we can, but it’s time for you to accept we may not be able to bring him back. Be realistic.” His condescending tone was the final straw. Along with the fact Tony always won and got everything she could never keep.

“Really? Really? What if it were Pepper or _Morgan_? Can you honestly tell me you wouldn’t stop at nothing to bring them back? That’s what Vision is to me, my family! I won’t just forget him.”

“It’s not the same,” Tony said, clearly unsettled.

“In what way?” Wanda asked with all the iciness she could muster. She was gratified when Tony was left momentarily speechless. She stormed out before he could make any more excuses.

A few days later, Wanda was meditating in one of the compound’s training rooms when Stephen approached her. She opened her eyes and stood when she felt his presence. “Hello, Wanda.”

“Hello.”

“I am glad to see you’ve been practicing.”

“It helps a bit.”

“Look, I won’t delay the inevitable with mindless pleasantries. Bruce and Tony asked me to talk to you about Vision.”

Wanda was torn between hope and dread, though Stephen’s demeanor was not encouraging. “What now?”

“They feel that they have exhausted all options and they have failed every time. They don’t believe they can bring him back. I’m sorry. I miss him as well, but if Bruce and Tony are out of ideas, I don’t know what else to do.”

Part of Wanda had known this was a possibility, but she hadn’t been willing to accept it. She acknowledged Stephen’s words with a nod and rushed off to Vision’s room, which she had not let anyone else touch, curling up on the bed and sobbing out her grief.

_Five Years Later_

Wanda followed the voices she heard whispering toward one of the labs in the compound. She found Stephen, Tony, and Bruce standing over a table. They had been working together to construct a new gauntlet for the Stones they had gathered. At the sound of her steps, Tony immediately hit a button that darkened a screen that hid whatever they were standing over from her view. “What are you all doing?”

“Just taking care of a few final adjustments for the gauntlet,” Stephen answered smoothly, walking toward her. “We’re done, though. Let’s meditate together for a few moments before the final push.” Wanda acquiesced, though part of her remained suspicious that they were hiding something.

A couple hours later they were in the middle of battling Thanos. Despite Carol’s firepower and their combined efforts, they were beginning to be overcome. Wanda had had her moment to face him down, but she was robbed of the moment to destroy him. Rage and despair engulfed her as she caught sight of the destroyed compound behind her, where she wasn’t even sure if Vision’s vibranium body could have been strong enough to withstand. She redoubled her attacks against Thanos and his army of nightmarish creatures.

But then, during a lull in the battle, a familiar figure rose into the air, golden cape flapping in the breeze. Wanda gasped, scarcely daring to believe what she was seeing. He wore Tony’s gauntlet, and the Stones glowed within it. He said nothing, merely snapped his fingers. As Thanos and his armies started to fade away to dust, Vision collapsed. Wanda started running toward him with the last of her strength, but she could not catch him. She fell to the dirt beside his body. It was startlingly reminiscent of the moments after his second death.

However, she could feel the faint hum of his mind. She finally looked up to see the others surrounding her and Vision. Tony was clapping Stephen on the shoulder. “You were right, Doc. It worked!”

Stephen glared at him and shrugged off his hand. “Now is not the time, Stark.”

“What are you talking about?” Wanda croaked.

“Nothing. Let’s get Vision to a place where he can rest comfortably.” Stephen immediately conjured an elaborate tent with a bed and medical equipment.

Several days later Wanda was slumped over in a chair next to Vision’s bed. He was still unconscious, though the brightness of his mind was growing. Wanda was woken by a set of voices passing by the tent.

“Come on, Strange. I don’t know why you insist on telling Wanda about our little fib. It will just upset her.” Wanda shifted her attention to Stark’s voice. What was he talking about now?

“It was more than a fib, and you know it. We are all complicit in letting Vision stay dead for five years when we could have revived him at any time. But it was my idea, so I bear the primary responsibility, and it is my duty to make it right.” Wanda could scarcely believe her ears. She might have expected this from Stark, but Stephen had come to be one of her best friends. She resisted the urge to face them right away, needing to stay by Vision’s side in case he woke up scared and confused.

“Look, Vision seems to be doing well. He’ll be fine in a few more days. Wanda used her powers the way you said she would. No harm done.”

“I planned to lie to her until the final confrontation, but I always promised myself I would tell her the full truth if we won.”

“You’re worrying too much. We saved the universe and nobody died! Let’s focus on that.”

“I still cost my friend and student five years with the man she loves. A price must be paid for that.” Wanda shook at the confirmation that the team had been lying to her this whole time. They let Vision rot. They let her believe the worst.

Later that day, when Stephen stopped by to check on Vision, Wanda finally confronted him. “You’re right. A price must be paid.” Strange winced as she repeated his words to Stark. “How could you? I thought you were my friend, my mentor. You were Vision’s friend.”

At least he had the grace not to try to deny anything. “It was the only future I saw where we won. We needed your rage.”

Wanda would show him true rage. “Bullshit!”

“Wanda-.”

“No! You’ve been teaching me for years. You’ve seen the growth of my powers. I don’t believe you really thought this was the only way.”

“I had my suspicions, but I had to be sure. I will do everything I can to make things right for you and Vision, but I will not apologize for my choices.”

“Get away from me. I don’t want to see any of you unless it is necessary for Vision’s treatment. I’m leaving as soon as he is stable.”

“What if he wishes to stay on with the Avengers? I know how important saving the world and being part of the team are to him.”

Wanda didn’t even want to think about that possibility right now. “That would be up to him. We would work it out between the two of us, but I would still refuse to see you. Now get out unless you are here to do something for him.” Strange turned on his heel.

A few days later, Vision finally stirred. He tried to sit up, but Wanda gently pushed him back against the pillows. “W-Wanda, what is happening?” He reached for her hand, and she took it gladly, beyond relieved to feel the warmth of his skin. His grasp was concerningly weak, but that was to be expected after so long.

“Everything’s okay now. We won thanks to you. We’re all safe.” Wanda traced her free hand over his cheek, reassuring herself that he was here and alive. She let herself truly smile as he relaxed under her touch.

This new serenity did not last, though. Wanda felt the confusion and distress growing in him. “Wanda, something is wrong with my internal clock. It says the year is 2023.”

She wished that they could just rest for a time, but Vision’s comfort was more important. Wanda took a deep breath to prepare herself. “It is a long story.” She began with the tale of Strange’s arrival at the compound and ended with their reconstruction of the Gauntlet. She omitted the revelation of the team’s betrayal. She didn’t want to overwhelm him too soon. There was all the time in the world to tell him the full story of those missing five years.

The next day questions poured forth from Vision for hours. Wanda took it as a good sign of his returning strength, though it was painful to recount those lonely years when she had no hope of his revival. Towards the end of the day, she finally admitted what she had learned of the others’ betrayal. Vision shut down completely at that. He claimed fatigue. Wanda knew better, but she did not press. She held him quietly as she absorbed his tears.

They left the following day without a word to anyone.

In the end, Wanda and Vision decided to go far away. They hid themselves as much as Wanda’s powers and Vision’s technical expertise allowed, letting the world pass them by as they grew their family in peace.


	2. Bonus Alternate Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda and Vision's villain origin story.

Wanda was finishing feeding the babies when a sensor alerted them to approaching visitors.

Vision sighed. “They are here.” Wanda redressed quickly, gathering the twins close to her. “Stay here with the boys. I will deal with them.” Wanda was prepared to argue but recognized the need to protect her children from the intruders. She merely nodded as she activated a forcefield around the three of them. Vision gave her one last look when a knock sounded at the door.

He opened it to see Tony, Steve, Bruce, and Stephen standing on their doorstep. “Long time no see, Buddy,” said Tony, adopting an air of forced joviality. “Can we come in for a little chat?”

“No, you may not. We are busy right now, and we have nothing to say to you.”

“Oh, yeah, newborns can do that.” Vision panicked a bit internally at the confirmation that they knew about the twins. He and Wanda had suspected that the Avengers would find out, but they were hoping to avoid this confrontation as long as possible. Tony, unaware of Vision’s mind working, continued talking. “Our third just turned one. We can commiserate. It’ll only take a few minutes. Come on, for old times’ sake.”

“I think it would be best for us not to dwell on the past. I trust you will find that we remember it very differently.”

“Vizh, it’s been five years. I know we did you wrong, but can’t you move on?”

Vision struggled not to bare his teeth at them. He had worked so hard to forgive them for abandoning him for five years, for manipulating Wanda. He had not achieved full forgiveness, but he had created his own new life with Wanda. He was willing to let the past rest. Now, Tony dared to lecture him. “You well know that I have moved on. We are done with the Avengers. Leave now and we will have no quarrel with you.”

“We can’t do that, Vision,” chimed in Strange. “Your children should not be able to exist. We need to examine them. I promise we will not harm them.”

“Forgive me for not believing your promises, Doctor Strange,” Vision replied sardonically. He hid his hurt behind an icy demeanor. There was a time he had considered Stephen one of his closest friends. When he learned what both Stephen and Tony had done, it was some time before he could think about them without suppressed rage. “You will not touch my children or my wife. I have no wish to hurt you, but I am prepared to use deadly force to defend my family. Please do not give me reason to do so.”

“Vision, please.” It was Steve’s turn to intervene. “You know what the world is like now. People are nervous. We just want a little information. There’s no need for threats.”

“You have had quite a change of heart, _Captain_.”

Steve backed up a few steps under the weight of Vision’s glare, and he felt a surge of savage satisfaction. “Can I talk to Wanda?”

Vision could feel Wanda’s growing anger through their link. “You will not receive a different answer from her. Wanda and I have discussed this, and we are of the same mind.”

Tony frowned at him. “You’re not going to change your mind, are you?”

“No.”

“We didn’t want to do this.” Vision anticipated Tony’s signal just before he raised his hand, turning himself super dense. The bullets from the snipers in the trees around their house bounced harmlessly off of Vision. One ricocheted and hit Steve in the shoulder. Another narrowly missed Tony’s head.

In the distraction of everyone dodging out of the way, Vision fled back into the house. Wanda expanded her shield to include him, and they immediately took to the air, their sons snuggled between them.

Vision had spent the months of Wanda’s pregnancy preparing several safehouses. They both discussed the possibility that the birth of their children would disturb the fragile truce that existed between them and the Avengers. Once they reached their safe place, Wanda settled the twins while Vision recalibrated the defenses.

Later that evening, during a brief lull between feedings, they collapsed together, Wanda running her fingers all over Vision’s torso to check for any damage. He was extremely happy for the contact, whether it was necessary or not, but he ached to reassure her and relieve the tightness around her eyes and mouth. “I am unhurt, love. I was able to phase in time.”

“Good. Because nothing’s allowed to happen to you again. I forbid it.”

Vision couldn’t help but grin at her. “Yes, ma’am.”

Her expression relaxed as well. “That’s right. Don’t you forget it.” The momentary levity was interrupted by one of the babies having a nightmare, Vision could not be sure who through his secondary connection. It was immaterial because soon both twins were crying out in the night. Vision and Wanda rushed to soothe them, murmuring that Mama and Daddy were here and loved them very much and everyone was safe.

When they finally settled again, Wanda and Vision gazed down at them. Eventually, they moved to their own bed, holding each other close. It was then that they began to evolve their plans to be more proactive against the threats to their children. 


End file.
